Motor driven honing and stropping device for razors



Oct. 23, 1951 v P. R. MccAuLEY MOTOR DRIVEN HONING AND STROPPING DEVICE FOR RAZORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 29, 1948 inventor 1220/ l? Ne (au/e z/ IIIIIIIIlI/llfl a 'IIIIIIIVIIVIIIIII/ Patented Oct. 23, 1951 DEVICE FOR RAZORS Paul R. McGauley, KansasG-i'ty, M0. Application July 2'9, 1948,8eria'1Nt. 41,.209'

3 Claims.

= This invention relates to a razor and meter driven honing and stibpiaing device therefor and more particularly to the razor having 3. "remov able iaermanentblade and a motor drivendev'iee seamed to receive said blade for selectivereapiece-ting motion during which the sides of the edge of the blade are automatically alternately presented to a stronpin or her-1 1mg surface at the pro er angle to restore the eutting edge of said blade.

The objects of the invention are to provide a ermanent razor made havin s ring pressed locking devices adapting said blade for applica tion to either a razor for use or a blade holder in a strapping and/or honing device; to provide a motor driven device adapted to receive said blade and impart motion thereto for either honing or shopping and which may be readily changed from one to the other; to provide apparatus for automatically and alternately presenting the sides of the edge of a razor blade to a str'opp'in'g and/or honing surface at the proper angle while imparting a reciprocating ar'cua-te stroke to said blade relative to said surfaces; to provide for re versi'ng the direction of the stroking movement of the blade and lifting -of the blade edge from engagement with the stropping andf/oir honing surface before such reversal thus avoiding damage to the blade and strep; toprovide an aicuate motion to the blade holder Wit-lithe edge of the blade parallel thereto and trailin therefrom whereby the effective relative movement of the side of the blade edge and the surface contaeted thereby is substantiall angular -to said edge; to provide a motor driven transmission mechah sm for moving the blade holder in an arc and re'-- versing said motion; to-nrovid'e a eom 1ete-se1i contained blade honing and stropp in'g device "of simple structure, light in weight, adapted for econ'o'm'ical manufacture; and to provide an appara tus of this character which is easily tra ns-ported as a persoif's luggage and capable of being quickly and efficiently used for restoring the out ting edge-of the razormaae. h n

In accomplishing these anti other objects of the present mverrtion, I have proiiided roved detail structure, the *pref'err'ed forfn's of which are illustrated iii the accompanying draw in'g's, wherein: p 7 Fig. 1 is 'a perspective view of the upper portion of the honing and stro'nping' aevic'e, oer= tio'h's being broken away to better illustrate the structure.

Fig. an a vertical seeuonaq view through the blade honing and strop'pi 'ng d'evicetv ith the mover applied thereto as for 'transporting same Fig. 3 is a plan new of the meter and trans-'- v mission housing with the sharpening assembly re moved therefrom. Fig; 4 a blanview of the honing and shop pin'g device with the cover removed therefrom. Fig. 5 is a transversesectional view through the blade holder illustrating the position of the respective parts as the holder approachesthe ehdof itsst'ro'ka 4 Fig; 6 a view similar to Fig. -5 with theblade holder substantially at the end of its stroke.

Fig; li-s a- View s'imil'arto Fi'g. -5 illustrating the position oi 'the blade at the beginning of the return stroke wherein said blade is rotated to opposite side ofthe blade holder. I

Fig. '8 is a perspective view of a razor and blade show-n disassembled relation.

Fig. 9 1s aside elevation of the razor and blade applied thereto.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the razor blade, per

devicestions being broken to show the locking therein.

Fig. 1 1 is an end elevation of the blade.

Fig. 12 is :a perspective view of the end-oi the blade holder and the blade shown in disassembled spaced relation Fig. 13 is a-verticalseetional viewthrough the blade holder.

' Fig. 1'4 a transverse sectional View through the blade holder on the linel 4 l4, 13.

Referring more detail to the drawings:

4 designates a razor blade having hollow ground The hollow sides 2 forming a 'eutting edge 3. groundsides are so arranged that the blade is substantially wedge shape in *cr'ossse'ction, theside's'-'generally tapering from'the'cutting edge 3' to the rearedge t which is flat, the blade being relatively thick at'th'at portion. cylindrical socket text-lends into the center of the rear edge of the blade towards the cutting edge, said socket preferably being perpendicular to the cutting edge of saidblade. Spaced from the rear edge 4' and of the axes of the "Socket 5 and bore 6. Coaifiafl with the" bore '-1 are eeunterbores 8 extending in-" wardly from the end edges 9 of -said blade terminating in shoulders Ill spa-cod irom'the socket 5. sl idabl y mounted in the-bore are lungers I I adapted to extend into the socket heads 12 on said plungers engaging the shoulders III to sma longitudinal movement-or said p'lungers. I he-ends ereheeoenierberes s are provided with plugs l3 closing the counterbores and springs H are arranged between said plugs and the heads 12 on the plungers ll whereby the ends of said springs engage same to apply pressure to the head l2 tending to force the plungers l'l into the intersecting portions of the bore 6 and socket 5.

This structure of the blades adapts same to be applied to a razor l5 by insertion of a pin [6 carried thereby into the bore 6, said pin having recesses l1 adapted to be engaged by the ends of the plungers H to secure said blades on said pin whereby the side face towards the handle l8 of the razor engages a bracket IS on which the pin I6 is mounted. The bracket l9 extends laterally of the pin I6 and terminates in a curved portion 26 having a recess 2| adapted to receive a head 22 of a razor guard 23, said head being semicircular in cross section'ffand having a flat face adjacent the pin 16 adapted to engage the flat rear edg 4 of the razor blade. The guard includes a U-shape member 25, the legs of which are secured to the hat portion 2-1 of the head 22 adjacent the ends thereof, said U-shape member being of such size that the bar portion 26 connecting the legs will engage the razor blade adjacent the cutting edge and the face of a user to prevent cutting of the skin over which the razor moves.

Mounted on the bracketlS and extending away from the razor blade is a shank 21 terminating in the handle 18, said handle being hollow to receive a battery or the like 28, which is held in place by a cap 29 and has suitable electrical connections with a light 36 adapted to illuminate the surface to be shaved as illustrated in Fig. 9. With this type of razor and blade, the arrangement of tne springs r5, plungers H and bores in the blade together with the pin I6 on the razor provides a snap-on efiect ior placing the blade on the razor. Obviously, the blade is of the permanent type and since it is dulled by use, it must be honed and stropped to restore the cutting edge thereof. This operation is done on a motor-driven strep and honing device 31 now to be described.

The honing and stropping device consists of a lower housing 32 preferably having a vertical cylindrical wall 33 terminating at its lower edge in a flange 33 having an annular recess 35 therein to receive a bottom member 36 adapted to form a closure of the motor chamber in said housing. Spaced from the lower end of the wall 33 and preierably integral therewith is a horizontal partition 38 forming the upper wall of the motor chamber 31, the wall 33 extends upwardly from the partition 38 and is recessed as at 39, adjacent the upper end for mounting blade-sharpening equipment as later described.

A motor 40 is located in a motor chamber and carried by a mounting bracket 4| secured by suitable fastening devices such as bolts 42 to the partition 38, said motor having suitable electrical connections adapted to be controlled by-a suitable switch not shown. The shaft 43 of the motor extends outwardly from one end thereof. The outer end of said shaft 43 being supported by a bracket 44 which is secured by screws or the like 45 to bosses 46 depending from the partition 38. Fixed to the shaft 43 is a worm 4'! arranged to mesh with a gear 48 fixed to a vertically arranged shaft 49 rotatably mounted in bearings 50 and 5! carried by the bottom member 36 and the partition 38. The worm gear shaft 49 extends upwardly from the partition 38 and fixed thereon is an arm 52 adapted to be rotated about the axes of the shaft 49. The outer end of the arm 52 carries a pin 53 pivotally mounting one end of a connecting rod 54, the opposite end of which is preferably rotatably connected to a pin 55 carried adjacent the periphery of an oscillating gear 56 rotatably mounted on a, shaft 51 which extends upwardly from the partition 38. v

The oscillating gear 56 has teeth 58 on its periphery engaging teeth of a pinion 59 fixed on a pinion shaft 60, the lower end of which is rotatably mounted in a bearing recess 6! in the upper face of the partition 38. The pinion shaft 60 extends upwardly from the pinion and is provided with a slot 62 adapted to engage a rib 63 extending across a bore 64 in a hub 65 on an arm assembly 66. The hub 65 is rotatably mounted in a bore 61 in a plate 68 seated on the seat 39 at the upper end of the housing wall, said plate being suitably secured on said seat as by screws 69 threaded into threaded holes 10 in bosses on the partition 38. The lower end of the hub 65 rests on the upper end of a bushing H located ill 1 track for rollers S t-mounted on the outer ends or the arm assembly 66. The inner portion of the in the bore 61 and sleeved over the pinion shaft 60 to form a bearing therefor.

The plate 68 is preferably of the same outer diameter as the housing wall 33 and the upper face 13 of said plate being provided with a circular recess 14, the outer peripheral edge 15 of which is spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of the plate 68. The radial width of said recess is substantially the same as the length of the cutting edge of the blade 1. Located in the recess is stropping materialll and honing material lfl suitably secured as by cement in the recess whereby the stropping and honing surfaces are substantially flush with the hat upper space 13 of the plate 68. The honing material is so arranged that the inner edges form a complete half circle and. terminates at diametrical points 19 and 89, the side edges 8| diverging outwardly in such a manner that the arcuate lengths at the outer edge is the same as the arcuate lengths at the inner edge. The stropping material 11 fills the remainder of the recess and is suitably sloped equal to the arcuate lengths of the inner periphery. This arrangement is such that all portions of the blade edge is in contact with either the stropping surface or honing surface for an equal distance thereby giving the same stropping or honing effect on said cutting edge at each end of the blade. 7 also provided with a groove 83 of smaller diameter than the inner portion of the recess 15 and secured in said groove are cams 84 and 85 having high portions 86 and downwardly and outwardly sloping sides 81. The high portions of the cams are diametrically opposed and in alignment with the points 19 and 80 for controlling operation of the blade holding device as later described.

Sleeved over the upper portion of the wall 33 is a cylindrical wall 88 of an upper housing 89 which is secured to the lower housing by means ofscrews 90 inserted in threaded bores 9| in the upper portion of the wall 33. The wall 88 extends upwardly above the plate 68 and terminates in an inwardly directed flange 92, the lower surface 93 of which cooperates with the outer portion of the upper-face 13 of the plate 68 to form a wall face 93 of the frame 92 is grooved as at 95 The upper face 13 of the plate 68 is.

to. receive a rin gear 96 having-downwardly directed teeth 91. said gear 96 being suitably se cured in th groove as by cementing,

The arm assembly 66 consists of oppositely directed hollow arms 98 integral. with the hub 65 and having bearing bushings 99mounted therein, said bushings have bores I to rotatably, mount pins IOI therein. The pins IOI extend beyond the inner end of said, bushings and have lock rings I02 adjacent said bushings for securing said pins against the outward movement in the bushings. The pins IIlI are parts of arm shafts I03 of larger diameter than the pin whereby the inner ends I04 of said shafts engage the outer ends of the bushings to cooperate with lock rings to prevent longitudinal movement of said shaft. Spaced from the ends I04 of the shafts I03, a distance substantially equal to the length of the blade I are enlarged portions I05, the inner edges I06-of which are adapted to engage the outer ends of a shell I0'I frictionally engaging the shafts between the bearing bushing 99 and enlarged portion I05.

The arm shafts I03 are provided with reduced,

portions I08 projecting beyond the enlarged portion I05, said reduced portions having pinion gears I09 secured to the outer ends thereof and in position for the teeth of the pinion gear to engage the teeth 9'I of the ring gear 96. Thereduced portions I08 of the arm shafts I03 are also provided with axial bores H0 for rotatably mounting roller pins I II on which are fixed the rollers 94 whereby said rollers will engage the track formed by the upper face I3 of the plate 68 and the lower face 93. of the flange 92.

The shells Iili' are preferably formed of resilient material such as spring steel bent in 'a cylindrical shape and of such size, as to require expansion of said shells. when they are placed over the arm shafts I03 thereby providing friction between the shells and said arm shafts. The edges H2 of said shells being spaced as illustrated in Fig. 14 to facilitate mounting said shells on, the arm shafts. Arranged midway between the ends of the shells and projecting outwardly therefrom opposite to the spaced edges are pins I I3 of such size as to be a sliding fit in the socket. of the razor blade. The pins H3 are preferably arranged in apertures H4 in said shells whereby the inner ends of the pins project inwardly of said shells, the arm shafts being provided with reduced diameters as at H5 to accommodate the inner ends of said pins. Each of the pins is also provided with recesses H6 in the sides thereof suitably placed to receive the endsv of the pins H in they razor blade when a blade is supplied thereto with the pin H3 engaged in the socket 5 and the rear edge 4 of the blade contacting the periphery of the shell I01. Mounted at the inner ends of the shells and in alignment with the groove 83 in the plate 68 are arrester followers I II, consisting of arcuate members H8 secured to said shells as by welding and extend. ing from the edges H2 of said shells to points H9 spaced substantially the thickness of the rear edge of the blade I and terminating in outwardly directed portions I adapted, to engage in; the groove 83 to arrest movement of the blade as later described.

When the stropping and honing device is not in use, the upper portion is preferably covered by a cover member I2I of substantially the same outer diameter as the upper housing 89 and adapted to seat on the flange 92'. Said cover I2I having spring clips I22 secured thereto in. on posed relation and adapted. to extend downwardly over the edge of the cover and upper portions of the upper housing whereby shoulders I23 of said clip engage in. recesses I24 the upper housing to secure said cover thereon.

In operating a device such as described for restoring the edge of the blade I when same has been dulled by use, the shoulders I23 are released from the recesses I24 whereby the cover is removed from the upper housing to provide access to the arm assembly for mounting the blade thereon.

It is preferable to have two blades, however, the device will operate entirely satisfactory with only one blade. The blade is removed from the razor and if it is desirable to hone said blade, itis placed on the portion of the arm assembly operating over the honing surface, I8 by inserting the pin I I3 thereon into the socket 5 until the ends of the pins II engage in the recesses H6 to secure on the blade to the shell over said honing surface. The device is then connected to. an electric circuit to energize the motor which rotates the. shaft 43 and worm 41 to drive the worm gear 48 and affect rotation of the shaft 49, thereby rotating the arm 52 to aifect the reciprocation of the connecting rod 54. This in turn operates the gear 56 to actuate the pinion 5.9. The ratio of the diameters of the operating gears and the pinions being such that the pinion will oscillate approximately 180. Oscillation of the pinion 59 drives the shaft 60 to move the arm assembly 66 through an arc of 180. The pin. H3 and shell ,I0'I are so arranged from the arm shaft whereby when the. arm is. being movedthe blade mounted on the pin trails behind the arm. The arm is held substantially in align-- ment, thatis said arm operates in a plane parallel with the upper face 13 of the plate 55 through.

contact of the roller 94 with the surface 93 of the flange 92 and the upper surface 13 of the plate 68. The engagement of the roller also maintains engagement of the teeth of the pinion-gear I09 with the teeth 91 of the ring gear 96. As the arm is oscillated in an arcuate path, the pin ion gear is rotated by the ring gear to rotate the arm shaft in such a manner as to tend to rotate the pin II 3 and the blade thereon downwardly against the honing surface due to frictional engagement of the shell on the arm shaft, which friction applies a force to the blade to maintain engagement of the side of the edge thereof with the honing surface.

As the axis of the arm assembly approaches a vertical plane through the points I0 and, and the high points of the cams 04 and 85, the end I20 of an arrester follower II 1 in the groove 83 engages the sloping surface 8'! of one of the cams.

This applies a force tending to resist the friction between the shell and the arm shaft thereby ef-, fecting rotation of the blade in the opposite direction to the direction of the rotation of the pinion gear. .When theaxis of the arm assembly is in alignment with high point of the cam, the

'pin 53 and the arm 52 passes dead center between the worm gear shaft 49 and the pin 55 on the oscillating gear 56. thereby starting the armassembly in the opposite direction.

As soon as the arm assembly starts-moving in the opposite direction, the engagement of the pinion gear with the ring gear rotates said pinionear in the opposite direction thereby applying a rotating force to the. shell, lifting said blade andturning same whereby it again trails behind the arm assembly as shown in Fig. 7 to provide-a.- -honing action on the other side of the bladeedge.

This reversal of movement is continued with the" blade being turned at the end of each stroke to maintain all contact between the blade edge and the honing surface at such time as when the blade is trailing the arm and as shown in Fig. 4 the edge of the blade is parallel to the arm as sembly whereby the arcuate movement imparted thereto affects a sliding contact between the sides of the blade edge and the honing surface which is substantially angularly of the blade edge. This operating movement is continued until the blade is properly honed, the inner portion of the edge receiving the same honing action as the outer portion due to the fact that the arcuate length of all portions of said surface contacted by the blade are the same length.

After the blade is suitably honed, it is removed from the pin H3 and placed on the other pin H3 at the opposite end of the arm assembly. The device is again started to move the blade over the stropping surface 11 in the same manner as is operated over the honing surface. This operation being continued until the blade is properly stropped. The uniform pressure of the sides of the blade edge on the strapping or honing surface,"the same arcuate travel during the engagement being applied to all portions of said blade edge, and the angular relative movement between the blade edge and the stropping or honing surface contacted thereby provide an efficient honing and strapping operation to restore the cutting edge of said blade.

After the blade has been suitably stropped, it is removed from the pin H3 and the cover I2! reapplied on the upper portion of the housing for storing said stropping device or placing same in the person's luggage as when traveling. The blade may then be applied to the razor by inserting the pin IE on said razor into the bore 6 with the rear edge 4 in engagement with the flat surface 24 of the head of the guard. The blade is pressed downwardly until the pins H engage in the recesses ll of the pin It at which time the side of the cutting edge of the blade engages the bar portion 26 of said guard. The razor is then ready for use and by operating a suitable switch the battery will energize the light 30 to provide illumination for the shaving operation as shown in Fig. 9.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for sharpening a razor blade comprising, a housing, a blade sharpening surface on the housing, an arm rotatably supported by the housing and spaced from the sharpenin surface for arcuate movement in a plane above and parallel to said surface, means for effecting oscillatory movement of the arm in said plane, a shaft rotatably mounted in said arm and extending over the sharpening surface, a blade holder rotatably mounted on the shaft and frictionally engaging same for supporting a razor blade in alignment with the sharpening surface'with the edge of said blade parallel to the arm and spaced therefrom, means for rotating said shaft in response to oscillatory movement of the arm to move a blade on said blade holder and apply pressure thereto forcing the blade into sharpening engagement with the sharpening surface in trailing relation to said arm, fingers on the blade holder, and cam means on the housing adjacent the respective ends of oscillation movement of the arm and engageable by the fingers for lifting the blade from the sharpening surface when the arm approaches the end of each oscillation.

- 2.A device for sharpening a razor blade comprising, a housing, a blade sharpening surface on the housing, an arm rotatabl supported by the housing and spaced from the sharpening surface for arcuate movement in a plane above and parallel to said surface, a motor in the housing, means driven .by the motor for effecting oscillatory movement of the arm in said plane, a shaft rotatably mounted in said arm and extending over the sharpening surface, a blade holder rotatably mounted on the shaft and frictionally engaging same for supporting a razorblade in alignment with the sharpening surface with the edge of said blade parallel to the arm and spaced therefrom, means for rotating said shaft in response to oscillatory movement of the arm to move a blade on said blade holder and apply pressure thereto forcing the blade into sharpening engagement with the sharpening surface in trailing relation to said arm, fingers on the blade holder, and cam means on the housing engageable by the fingers for lifting the blade from the sharpening surface when the arm approaches the end of each oscillation.

3. A device for sharpening a razor blade comprising, a housing, a blade sharpening surface on the housing, an arm rotatably supported by the housing and spaced from the sharpening surface for arcuate movement in a plane above and parallel to said surface, a motor in the housing, means driven by the motor for effecting oscillatory movement of the arm in said plane, a shaft rotatably mounted in said arm and extending over the sharpening surface, a blade holder rotatably mounted on the shaft and frictionally engaging same for supporting a razor blade in alignment with the sharpening surface with the edge of said blade parallel to the arm and spacedtherefrom, a ring gear on the housing coaxial with the axis of rotation of the arm and spacedfrom the sharpening surface, a pinion gear fixed on the shaft and having engagement with the ring gearfor rotating said shaft in response to oscilla torymovement of the arm whereb the frictional engagement of the blade holder and shaft moves a blade on said blade holder and applies pressure thereto forcing the blade into sharpening engagement with the sharpening surface in trailing relation to said arm, fingers on the blade holder, and cam means on the housing adjacent the-respective ends of the oscillation movement of the armandengageable by the fingers for lifting the blade from the sharpening surface when the arm approaches the end of each oscillation.

- t t PAUL R. MoCAULEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

